By Jon Olsen, Communications Staff
As of April 16, mediation is over and bargaining with the Government of Alberta (GOA) for AUPE’s 24,000 government services members has entered the 14-day cooling off period.
The cooling off period gives both sides – the union members and the employer – time to assess their options before deciding what they need to do moving forward.
The Government Services Bargaining Committee (GSBC) has already begun preparing for our next steps.
“AUPE members have spent the past year preparing for the possibility of a strike,” says AUPE Vice-President James Gault. “From last summer’s Time for Action town halls and rallies to this spring’s Strike Captain training courses, members have enthusiastically come together in anticipation of an eventual strike––building their strength and solidarity.”
The first step is another round of GSBC telephone town halls on April 30 and May 1. We encourage all members working for the GOA to join the town hall discussions and hear first-hand what to expect in the coming days and weeks. You can find details on the telephone town halls in your latest bargaining update.
"AUPE members know that our collective strength cannot be broken when we stand together. Together we have power.”
Step two is a strike vote. This vote is the most important vote of your union life. We need a strong strike vote to let the employer know we are ready for the fight ahead. The stronger our strike vote numbers are, the stronger our position is with the employer. A strong strike mandate shows the employer that we are united and will keep fighting for what we deserve even if it means walking a picket line.
This doesn’t mean that we will strike, only that we are ready, willing, and able to strike.
The strike vote is scheduled to take place between May 8 and May 12. GOA members will be receiving detailed information on how to vote; but the best way is to sign up for a MyAUPE account.
While the cooling off period is meant to lower the temperature at the bargaining table, it is also the perfect time to show the employer that we are strong and united.
“The employer wants to divide us with a wage offer that creates haves and have-nots within the GSBC units,” says AUPE Vice-President James Gault. “But AUPE members know that our collective strength cannot be broken when we stand together. Together we have power.”
Keeping informed and supporting your coworkers is how we can keep the pressure on the employer—even during the 14-day cooling off period.
“With almost 100,000 AUPE members in bargaining, our collective voices have never been louder. We are positioned like never before to make the employer listen—but we need to remind them of our strength by showing them we are united."
“AUPE members have taken every chance to come together, to show they are united, and to support each other in solidarity,” says Gault. “It’s a warning to employers—don’t bet against our will to fight for the wages and benefits we deserve. Don’t bet against our solidarity, it’s a bet you won’t win!”
We know our employers will not just hand us a fair collective agreement without a fight. We must stand together and make the employer give us the contracts and wages we deserve.
“With almost 100,000 AUPE members in bargaining, our collective voices have never been louder,” says Gault. “We are positioned like never before to make the employer listen—but we need to remind them of our strength by showing them we are united. Our solidarity will win us the collective agreements, wages, and respect we deserve.”
As we wait for the cooling off period to end, we must continue to show our solidarity—not just to the employer, but to each other.
Sign up for your MyAUPE account—if you don’t have one––to get all the updates about bargaining and strike preparations. Your MyAUPE account will also be your main access point to cast your strike vote, and receive your strike pay if we do take to the strike line.
Every act of solidarity raises the temperature on the employer, even in a cooling off period––moving us closer to the contracts we deserve.
